Safety device for pressure-medium-containing tanks

ABSTRACT

A safety device for closure elements ( 1 ) on pressure-medium-containing tanks, in particular on hydropneumatic devices such as hydraulic accumulators, wherein a screw connection is provided as a closure device on a filling or checking port, which screw connection has a closure screw ( 1 ) which is in threaded engagement on the port ( 3 ) and which blocks the port ( 3 ) when the screw connection is tightened and opens the port ( 3 ) when a now path is released, is characterized in that a means ( 25 ) is provided which limits the free movement path of the closure element ( 1 ) which is moved out of a closed position as a result of occurring overpressure.

The invention relates to a safety device for pressure-medium-containing tanks, in particular hydropneumatic devices such as hydraulic accumulators, on a filling or checking port the closure device being a screw connection with a closure screw which is in threaded engagement on the port and which, when the screw connection is tightened, blocks the port gastight and, when loosened, clears a flow path through the port.

In hydropneumatic devices such as diaphragm accumulators or piston accumulators, it is prior art to carry out filling processes or checking processes in which the gas filling pressure is monitored such that on the pertinent filling or checking port a closure screw which, in the tightened state blocks the port gastight, is loosened so far that a flow path is formed with a passage size sufficient for the filling or checking process. The execution of these processes is relatively simple if, before loosening the closure screw, a filling and checking device is attached to the port of the tank. In the event that such a device attached tightly to the port is not used, there is a not inconsiderable hazard potential if it is improperly operated, i.e., not according to specifications. According to specifications, in this connection the procedure should be such that the closure screw is loosened, for example, by a manually activated hexagon socket wrench, simply by a small amount, for example, on the order of one half turn. If this specification is not met, and the screw is not only loosened, but turned too far, there is the danger that the closure screw will be ejected by force by the gas pressure which has not yet decreased, and if a filling and checking device is not attached to the port, will be ejected from the tank by force; this endangers the vicinity and constitutes a corresponding accident hazard for personnel. This danger prevails mainly when instead of a manual turning tool a power tool is used, such as, for example, a power drill.

With respect to this problem, the object of the invention is to make available a safety device which prevents an ambient hazard in the aforementioned activities.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a safety device with the features of claim 1 in its entirety.

Accordingly, one essential feature of the invention consists in only one path of motion or stroke being made available for the closure screw when the screw connection is loosened, in which for the screw connection threaded engagement is maintained such that the danger of the screw being ejected by force is precluded.

In advantageous embodiments, the respective arrangement can be made such that for the closure screw which has been screwed to the port of the tank there is a blocking element anchored in the port as a means which limits the free path of the closure screw which moves relative to the threaded hole in the port and by this blocking ensures that there is no danger of the screw being ejected by force.

The remaining threaded engagement for the closure screw also advantageously provides for the blocking element a simple construction which is easy to install because there is a safety action with comparatively small blocking forces which are applied by the blocking element to the screw.

Preferably, the arrangement is made such that the port has a segment adjacent to the tank interior with a threaded hole for the shaft of the closure screw and an adjoining segment in the form of a hollow cylinder for holding the head of the closure screw, and that the blocking element on the hollow cylinder is anchored such that it forms stop surfaces which project into the interior of the hollow cylinder and which limit the movement of the closure screw out of the closure position by coming into direct contact with the head of the screw.

If, in this connection, on the bottom of the hollow cylinder on the opening edge of the threaded hole there is a sealing arrangement which in the closed position is adjoined by the bottom of the head of the closure screw to form a seal, the path of motion of the closure screw can be limited preferably to an end position in which between the sealing arrangement and the head of the closure screw there is a distance such that the flow path for passage of the medium is formed.

Since, as already mentioned, the path of the closure screw is already limited before it has disengaged from the screw connection, the design for the blocking element can be simple. Thus, the blocking element can be formed, for example, by a cylindrical grooved pin which in the outer edge region of the hollow cylinder in its wall is seated in a hole which runs transversely to the axis of the cylinder. In an alternative solution, which is characterized by especially easy installation, the blocking element is formed by a snap ring or an elastic locking ring which sits in an annular groove formed in the outer edge region in the inside wall of the hollow cylinder.

In especially advantageous embodiments, in addition to the blocking element, as another means for limiting the path of motion of the closure screw, there can be a device which limits the torque which can be transmitted to the closure screw as it is being unscrewed. By limiting the torque which can be applied as the screw is being unscrewed, especially low demands need be imposed on the structural strength of the blocking element so that, for example, short snap rings which are especially easy to install can be used as the blocking element.

For a closure screw with a head provided with a hexagon socket, the torque-limiting device can be designed such that the head has a reduced outside diameter in its end segment for forming the sleeve which surrounds the hexagon socket and that the wall thickness of the sleeve is chosen such that it shears off when a certain torque acting on the wall of the hexagon socket is exceeded. After shearing off of the sleeve which forms the wall of the hexagon socket, further torque cannot be transferred to the screw head by means of the pertinent turning tool.

The invention is detailed below using embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a port on the gas filling port of a hydraulic accumulator which is not shown, provided with one embodiment of the safety device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal section of the port from FIG. 1, corresponding to cutting line I-I from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section which corresponds to FIG. 2 and which shows the operating state when the safety device has taken effect;

FIG. 4 shows a top view corresponding to FIG. 1, however, provided with a second embodiment of the safety device;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show longitudinal sections corresponding to cutting line IV-IV from FIG. 4, FIG. 6 in turn showing the operating state when the safety device has taken effect;

FIG. 7 shows a top view corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 4, but provided with a third embodiment of the safety device;

FIGS. 8 and 9 show longitudinal sections corresponding to cutting line VII-VII from FIG. 7, FIG. 9 in turn showing the operating state when the safety device has taken effect;

FIG. 10 shows a top view of a fourth embodiment corresponding to FIGS. 1, 4, and 7, and

FIGS. 11 and 12 show longitudinal sections corresponding to cutting line X-X from FIG. 10, FIG. 12 in turn showing the state of the loosened screw connection.

The invention is described below with reference to the drawings using embodiments in which a gas fill screw 1 as the closure element is screwed into a port 3 which is provided on the gas side of a hydraulic accumulator, which is not shown, as a filling port for filling with a working gas, such as nitrogen gas, or as a checking port. It goes without saying that the invention can be designed equally as a safety device for closure elements of another type.

FIGS. 1 to 3 show a first embodiment in which the port 3 has a largely circularly cylindrical shape, a threaded hole 7 being formed concentrically to the longitudinal axis 5 in the end region facing the gas side of the hydraulic accumulator which is not shown. Toward the other outer end, the threaded hole 7 is joined to an inner hollow cylinder 9 which is widened relative to the hole, and which is likewise concentric to the axis 5 and is open on the outer end 11 of the port 3. The head 13 of the screw 1 is held within the hollow cylinder 9. Using an hexagon socket 15 located in the head 13, the screw 1 with its shaft 17 is screwed to the threaded hole 7 so that the screw 1 normally assumes the closure position shown in FIG. 2, in which the bottom of the head 13 adjoins a sealing arrangement which consists of sealing elements 19 and 21 to form a seal, and which is made on the bottom surface of the hollow cylinder 9 which surrounds the opening edge of the threaded hole 7. The sealing arrangement consists of an outer soft iron ring 21 and an elastomer ring 19 which surrounds the shaft 17 of the screw 1.

In the vicinity of the outer end 11 of the port 3, the wall of the hollow cylinder 9 is penetrated by a transverse hole 23 which is perpendicular to the axis 5 and which forms the seat for the cylindrical grooved pin 25 which is inserted in an installation process after the screw 1 has been screwed in and tightened in its closure position, as is shown in FIG. 2 which shows the screw 1 in its closure position, the elastomer ring 21 being pressed by the bottom of the head 13 which adjoins the soft iron ring 19.

FIG. 3 shows that when the screw 1 is unscrewed, the shaft 17 of the screw 1 in the threaded hole 7 has been displaced to the outside, the path of displacement being limited in the end position shown in FIG. 3 by contact with the cylindrical grooved pin 25 which is used as the blocking element. Raising the bottom of the head 13 of the screw 1 off the sealing element 19 leads to clearance of a flow path, its passage size being determined according to the amount of migration of the shaft 17 in the threaded hole 7. An arched groove 20 which runs in the longitudinal direction, which is formed on the shaft 17 of the screw 1 as a narrow interruption of the thread and which extends beyond the threaded region of the threaded hole 7 in the open position promotes the formation of a passage for the medium. Placing the cylindrical grooved pin 25 which acts as a blocking element protects the screw 1 against being ejected by force from the port 3, because, by limiting the length of the path when unscrewing, an at least partial thread engagement of the shaft 17 in the threaded hole 7 remains.

FIGS. 4 to 6 show a second embodiment which is distinguished from the embodiment described first simply by a different design of the blocking element so that the description of this embodiment can be limited to the dissimilarity of the blocking element. The blocking element in this embodiment is formed by a snap ring 35 which is secured in an annular groove 37 which, as previously the transverse hole 23, is located in the vicinity of the outer end 11 of the port 13. The annular groove 37 is machined into the inside wall of the hollow cylinder 9. Since the snap ring 35 can be forced in quickly and conveniently after completed tightening of the screw 1, this embodiment is characterized by special ease of installation, there being the additional advantage of low production costs because snap rings of desired dimensions are commercially available at low cost.

Analogously, this also applies to the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 which differs from the above-described example only in that instead of an annular groove 37 with a round groove cross section there is now the corresponding annular groove 47 which has a rectangular groove cross section and is designed to hold a spring snap ring 45. Since the design and operation otherwise match the other embodiments, a detailed description is unnecessary. As already indicated, with this spring snap ring 45, installation is especially simple and there is also the advantage of low production costs, since these snap rings 45 can be obtained commercially at a low cost.

The further embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 differs from the above described examples essentially in two respects. On the one hand, the shaft 17 of the closure screw 1 the narrow groove which runs in the longitudinal direction and which in the preceding examples is designated as 20 is made longer and in FIGS. 11 and 12 is designated as 40. The length of the groove 40 is chosen such that in the open state of the screw connection shown in FIG. 12 the groove 40 extends beyond the end 42 of the threads of the threaded hole 7 so far that in the open state the passage capacity is improved, easier passage of gas thus being enabled.

On the other hand, in this embodiment for end position limitation when the screw 1 is loosened there is an additional safety means. As in the above-described examples, there is also a blocking element here which is formed by a snap ring 55 which sits in an annular groove 37. In addition, there is a torque limiting means which limits the torque which can be transferred to the closure screw 1 as it is unscrewed. As FIGS. 11 and 12 show, for this purpose the head 13 of the screw 1 is screwed into the end region which surrounds the hexagon socket 15 so that a relatively thin-walled sleeve 59 which forms the side wall of the hexagon socket 15 is formed. The wall thickness of the sleeve 59 is chosen such that as the screw 1 is unscrewed, when it is moved into the end position shown in FIG. 12, and is supported on the snap ring 55, the sleeve 59 is sheared off when an attempt is made to further unscrew the screw 1 by increasing the torque. Further transfer of torque is no longer possible after elimination of the wall parts which define the hexagon socket 15. Since, accordingly, the maximum supporting force which is to be applied by the blocking element is limited, a short snap ring 55 can be used as the blocking element, in which the ends of the ring form a relatively large gap 46, see FIG. 10. Such a snap ring 55 can be installed especially quickly and easily. 

1. A safety device for pressure-medium-containing tanks, in particular hydropneumatic devices such as hydraulic accumulators, on a filling or checking port the closure device being a screw connection with a closure screw (1) which is in threaded engagement on the port (3) and which, when the screw connection is tightened, blocks the port (3) and, when loosened, clears a flow path through the port (3), characterized in that there is a means (25, 35, 45, 55, 59) which, when the screw connection is loosened, limits the motion of the closure screw (1) to a path in which threaded engagement is maintained.
 2. The safety device according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure screw (1) is screwed to the port (3) of the tank and there is a blocking element (25, 35, 45, 55) anchored in the port (3) as a means which limits the free path of the closure screw (1) which moves relative to the threaded hole (7) in the port (3).
 3. The safety device according to claim 2, characterized in that the port has a segment adjacent to the tank interior with a threaded hole (7) for the shaft (17) of the closure screw (1) and an adjoining segment in the form of a hollow cylinder (9) for holding the head (13) of the closure screw (1) and that the blocking element (25, 35, 45, 55) is anchored on the hollow cylinder (9) such that it forms stop surfaces which project into the interior of the hollow cylinder (9) and which limit the movement of the closure screw (1) out of the closure position by coming into direct contact with the head (13) of the screw.
 4. The safety device according to claim 3, characterized in that on the bottom of the hollow cylinder (9) on the opening edge of the threaded hole (7) there is a sealing arrangement (19, 21) which in the closed position is adjoined by the bottom of the head (13) of the closure screw (1) to form a seal, and that the path of motion of the closure screw (1) is limited to an end position in which between the sealing arrangement (19, 21) and the head (13) of the closure screw there is a distance such that the flow path for passage of the medium is formed.
 5. The safety device according to claim 3, characterized in that the blocking element is formed by a cylindrical grooved pin (25) which in the outer edge region of the hollow cylinder (9) in its wall sits in a hole (23) which runs transversely to the axis (5) of the cylinder.
 6. The safety device according to claim 3, characterized in that the blocking element is formed by a snap ring (35, 55) or an elastic locking ring (45) which sits in an annular groove (37 and 47) formed in the outer edge region in the inside wall of the hollow cylinder (9).
 7. The safety device according to claim 2, characterized in that in addition to the blocking element (25, 35, 45, 55) as another means for limiting the path of motion of the closure screw (1) there is a device (59) which limits the torque which can be transmitted to the closure screw (1) as it is being unscrewed.
 8. The safety device according to claim 7, characterized in that the closure screw (1) has a head (13) with a hexagon socket (15), that the head (13) has a reduced outside diameter in its end segment (61) for forming the sleeve (59) which surrounds the hexagon socket (15) and that the wall thickness of the sleeve (59) is chosen such that it shears off when a certain torque acting on the wall of the hexagon socket (15) is exceeded.
 9. The safety device according to claim 2, characterized in that the closure screw (1) is a gas filling screw which sits in a port (3) which is located as a filling port on the gas side of the hydraulic accumulator. 